B: The Evolution of Foliate Capitals in the Paris Basin: the archaic capitals prior to 1130

Overview

Overview

A further volume in this monumental series on the architecture of the Gothic churches of the Paris Basin.

A complete collection of all the capitals carved in the Paris Basin before 1130 - over 4,000 - few of which have ever been published before. From this has come a profoundly significant analysis: That these carvers pursued what might be called a Quest for Order, a quest that grew into an obsession over the next two generations. By following each step in this quest in the dateable buildings in the rest of Europe, James has dated nearly every campaign in the Basin to within 5 years - a unique achievement possible only because every one of the 147 remaining works have been included. This holistic approach provides the evidence that pointed arches and rib vaults were both being employed in the Paris Basin from the mid-1080s. Volume 3 in Part B of The Creation of Gothic Architecture: The Ark of God provides valuable insights into the development of Early Romanesque carving and architecture prior to the seminal work at Chartres and Saint-Denis. It complements Part A and, with the later volumes, aims to establish from all the evidence a comprehensive chronology for the Creation of Gothic Architecture.

Reviews

In this monumental study, James and several collaborators have brought together a formidable resource.The scale of James' enterprise far surpasses any previous attempts at the systematic collection of this type of data, which is why this study is so very useful.(...)These volumes are a fundamental resource for the study of medieval art in northern France, and every library associated with the teaching of medieval art and architecture should have them. SPECULUM